Swine flu: Are media spreading concern or undue fear?
As our TV and computer screens fill with more and more images of people wearing masks and commentators looking gravely concerned, it is not too soon to start asking what kind of job the media are doing of covering the swine flu story. Are they responsibly alerting people to dangers and precautions that can be taken, or are they unduly alarming the audience?
Monday night at 10 right after 24, a series that has told its own share of stories about biological warfare and threatened pandemics, area viewers of WBFF's newscast were told that the disease has not yet spread to Maryland, "but experts say it is coming." Viewers were further told that every day "there is more and more to fear" in connection with the spread of the disease.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the CNN and CBS medical correspondent, was reporting from outside a hospital in Mexico City using such terms as "ground zero" and "chaos" to describe the situation.
Tuesday morning, on NBC's top-rated Today show, Dr. Nancy Snyderman, the show's health expert, was reporting "a couple of unconfirmed cases in New Jersey."
It is too early to render an overall judgment on coverage, but I wonder how readers of this blog are reacting to what they are seeing on their TV and computer screens.
I can't imagine why Snyderman and Today were reporting unconfirmed cases. That seems to me one of the worst things a journalistic enterprise -- and Today is produced by NBC News -- should be doing. Wait for confirmation when reporting such data.
But Snyderman did close her segment by saying viewers should be "concerned...but not afraid." That seems like an excellent tone to take as of Tuesday morning.
Even though Gupta is primarily known as the lead medical correspondent on CNN, he also works for CBS News, and I saw him Monday night on The CBS News with Katie Couric standing in front of a Mexico City hospital. He had his own mask -- down about his throat. Overly dramatic? Maybe.
I hated Gupta describing his location as "sort of ground zero" and reporting what he described as a lack of basic supplies for medical workers at the Mexican hospital as "sort of the chaos here," but he was the reporter on the ground. I just wish the language he used would have been prudent and less sensational.
In terms of his work on CNN, you have to realize CNN is the only cable channel with a global mission that it takes seriously. Unlike Fox or MSNBC, CNN matters in Mexico and elsewhere in the world on a story like this, and the channel should be sending its top medical reporters to the source of the story and putting them on in prime time. On the other hand, they should not overstate and hot dog the story. Gupta is the only correspondent I saw wearing a medical mask -- though I suspect there were others.
As for WBFF, reporting that experts believe the disease will hit Maryland and Baltimore is exactly what the station should be telling viewers -- assuming that is what experts have told reporters at WBFF. As to saying there is "more and more to fear," I think all the stations need to be cautious about such generalizations and the use of language that could generate fear.
These were scary enough times without the threat of a flu pandemic. The media can make a huge difference in how citizens react to such challenging times. Let's hope for a media on their best behavior during this health crisis.
(Above: Associated Press photo of commuters riding the Mexico City subway by Rodrigo Abd)
Comments
So far I think it has been handled pretty well. Preesident Obama was relatively reassuring that it was a cause for concern and not for panic. I think they should be doing more to secure the borders between Mexico and the U.S., however, we already have confirmed cases so now we just have to take preventitive measures. Hopefully the media will get the word out about prevention instead of creating panic. Frankly, I was more concerned about the low flying plane followed by a fighter jet in Manhattan, that seems just wrong and paniced a lot of people in that area. Sherry Tellitocci
Hi Sherry, Thanks. On the plane, I am angry about that as well. How could anyone be so insensitive to the psychic residue of 9/11 be working in the White House? Thanks. Speaking of Houses, what did you think of Dr. House this week? Z
Posted by: Sherry Telliotcci | April 28, 2009 8:47 AM
The media is pressured, now more than ever, to get stories out first; to beat the social media giants like Facebook and Twitter. This was their chance to shine and they blew it playing up the "fear factor" and sensationalizing the story before it was really necessary.
Posted by: Michael | April 28, 2009 8:59 AM
Oh, boy. That picture didn't load before when I wrote my first comment. They really contradict "concerned...but not afraid" with that one!
Posted by: Michael | April 28, 2009 9:01 AM
Hi Z,
The story line for the medical diagnosis was kind of weak. I enjoy the medical part because of my job and understanding of the medical terminology. I liked the back and forth between Amber and House going on during the diagnosing. House said that he had not slept through the night since Kutner's death so I think they are still setting him up for a nervous breakdown. The bachelor party was cute and raised a good question about why he would want to harm Chase knowing that he was allergic to strawberries. Fortunately someone had an Epi pen available. Overall, I thought it was pretty good. I liked the idea of House still feeling the effects of Kutner's death, which in reality he would still be working through for sometime. What did you think?? Sherry Tellitocci
Posted by: Sherry Tellitocci | April 28, 2009 9:20 AM
Yes, it's definitely scary. By now, everyone should be informed of what's going on and should stay alert to updates from official sources. The media needs to stop with pics of people wearing masks and continuous already-aired information.
Posted by: ruth | April 28, 2009 9:38 AM
Good call Z. The media does seem to be creating fear on this one, and it seems to be unwarranted.
I had a talk with a doctor yesterday about swine flu, and she was not all that concerned. As she pointed out, all the people that have caught the disease in the U.S. had mild cases. She also pointed out that we have stockpiles of antiviral drugs, the swineflu is responding to the antivirals, and we have better vaccine production in the country since the Anthrax scare. Finally, our level of healthcare is much better than Mexico, where people have died.
Maybe a good media story would be centered around all of the positives I outlined above. It would probably make the majority of people feel better.
Hi Mike, Thanks. Great point about a story on positive factors. I have yet to see it on cable TV. Not surprised. Z
Posted by: Mike D | April 28, 2009 9:54 AM
My view--from the media's point of view, it's been too long since they have been able to use the word "pandemic". So they jump on this like there's no tomorrow. Thousands of people (old, sick , etc.) die each year from various strains of the flu.
Yes, Phil. I am hearing pandemic non-stop, too, and wondering how many of the reporters and anchors even know what it means. Z
Posted by: Phil | April 28, 2009 9:56 AM
My brother-in-law (who lives in Texas, where there are confirmed cases) is one of those over-the-top disaster preparedness people, with six months of provisions put away, etc. I keep resisting the urge to ask my sister how he's handling all this and at what point he plans to barricade himself in the house (and potentially take sister and niece "hostage" in there with him?). I'm resisting the urge because I feel sure I can't ask without being snarky about it, but I would love to know how he's reacting to the coverage.
Now, now, Kristin. I had the misfortune of living in Texas for a few years in the 1980s, and I suspect they are re-opening and stocking up the 1950's fallout shelters at this moment -- and I bet the local media down there is fueling is frenzy. At least, that was part of the mindset when I was down there in Dallas. Z
Posted by: KristinB | April 28, 2009 10:02 AM
I will let you know when I go to work tomorrow what they are saying at the hospital where I work about the Swine flu outbreak. They were very proactive when a MRSA outbreak occurred in the OR at our hospital and their advice is usually very helpful. I can share it when I find out. In my opinion we should be listening to our healthcare providers and local health departments instead of so much media.
I had to share this it is cute, I saw this on a bumper sticker recently and I thought it would be a good motto for "House" - "I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every moment of it".
Hi Sherry, Thanks. That would be great. As to House and insanity, I love his intellectual honesty about how hard and dark life can be. I love the way the writers have him still working through Kutner's death. Z
Posted by: Sherry Telliocci | April 28, 2009 10:33 AM
Z, this is a very timely post. I wondered why the first six or seven minutes of the late news were devoted to covering swine flu. The media's job is to report on the issue, report what is known and what is being done in terms of preparedness, and not to report "unconfirmed" cases. The coverage, quite simply, is overblown.
Hi Greg, Thanks. I could not agree more with your assessment of media's job. Reporting unconfirmed stuff is definitely part of the the brief. Thanks. Z
Posted by: Greg | April 28, 2009 11:19 AM
I think to be on the save side if you left the country you should have to report to the health department before you leave the airport when returning back to the state or your country.
Scared Debbie :( from Maryland
Posted by: debbie | April 30, 2009 12:14 PM
I believe people are not safe from the Swine Flu just by wearing masks. The flu can be passed/spread like other flu's meaning it can contaminate people by hands and not just "air passage". If I am not mistaken, the book of Leviticus reads that people should not eat swine. I am not trying to base the flu on "the book of god," I am just saying the flu can be passed several ways and not just through the nasal passage.
Posted by: Reginald Suggs | May 1, 2009 1:59 AM
The way commercial news sensationalizes stories like the swine flu is a serious problem for journalism. So far there have been fewer than 100 cases in the United States and 1 death. Despite this the swine flu is covered as though it were an immediate threat to everyone in the nation. Too much coverage on a story such as this only manages to scare people as opposed to inspiring rational thinking. This current journalistic philosophy that sensationalizes frightening topics for the sake of higher ratings needs to change and more stories that encourage rational thinking should be published.
-I realize that this is rather idealistic
Posted by: Michael Bliss Jefferson | May 1, 2009 3:04 AM
On the plus side, in this recession people are finally starting to buy something: masks. Now, if only GM, Ford and Chrysler would start selling them, they would have a product people actually want to buy.
Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | May 1, 2009 9:41 PM
I can only speak for myself on this one. What’s sad is that scaring me into believing that the THE PANDEMIC IS COMING has been the only reason I’ve started washing my hands. It got me thinking maybe the fear tactic is in some way productive! Although it clearly breaks fundamental rules of journalism specifically because the American public is being misled, it is good in some ways. It’s not that serious right now in America but because it could lead to something much more deadly, scaring we will ultimately lead us to taking the right precautions necessary.
Only because it has gotten so much news coverage over the past 2 weeks or so, I’ve become so concerned. By saying be afraid, be afraid, people will do the right thing and take the necessary precautions. It’s better than finding out months from now how serious this is and then complaining that the media did a poor job of covering this serious pandemic. On the other hand, if and when it all dies down, we can just laugh and make fun of the news correspondents. This is much better than blaming them for future fatalities, don’t you think?
Posted by: Justin McDonnell | May 2, 2009 9:26 PM